


Love Across the Stars

by Beware_The_Tristero



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Cultural Differences, Alpha Sendak, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Altean Lance (Voltron), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Orphanage, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Humor, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Romance, Awkward Sexual Situations, Blood ISN'T thicker than water!, Canon-Typical Violence, Dysfunctional Family, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Fluff and Angst, Galra Dad, Galra Keith (Voltron), Kid Fic, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Rituals, My Boyfriend's an Alien, My kids are aliens, Omega Shiro (Voltron), Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Pack Feels, Pining Shiro (Voltron), Rutting, Secrets, Shiro is Best Dad, more TBA - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-08-17 07:01:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 13,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16511534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beware_The_Tristero/pseuds/Beware_The_Tristero
Summary: In a universe where the evil Empress Allura rules with an iron fist and an insatiable thirst for her father’s lost super-weapon, the few Galra who weren’t clawed into the ranks of her enforcer, slave-army (the Blade of Marmora) are desperately scouring the youngest star-systems for allies and hope.Enter Commander Sendak, valiant protector of all innocent beings and the only alpha to have faced Allura’s Druids and lived (a title that not even their Lord Zarkon the Just can claim); however, with his battle-cruiser critically damaged, his life could very well end unless the third planet orbiting a yellow star harbors sentient life able to assist him.Or…Takashi Shirogane didn’t mean to set up an orphanage for omega, femme and beta children after WWIII finally reached its conclusion; however, with no family of his own, a small ranch bequeathed to him by his first orphaned child’s father and a (surprisingly) sizeable chunk of funding from the Government, here he is.An alien ship crash-landing in their backyard should really be more surprisingbut, between Keith's purple flesh, Lance's cheek tattoos and the missing  Holt's'special projectsall things, he thinks, are relative...





	1. “Okay… so there’s an unconscious alien in my bed, now what?”

**Author's Note:**

  * For [QueenoftheNightCheese (Supertights)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supertights/gifts), [InklingDancer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InklingDancer/gifts).



> Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own either the characters or the settings used within this non-profit piece of fiction. I am merely using them/their likenesses for my own entertainment (and hopefully the entertainment of others).
> 
> Summary:
> 
> In a universe where the evil Empress Allura rules with an iron fist and an insatiable thirst for her father’s lost super-weapon, the few Galra who weren’t clawed into the ranks of her enforcer, slave-army (the Blade of Marmora) are desperately scouring the youngest star-systems for allies and hope.
> 
> Enter Commander Sendak, valiant protector of all innocent beings and the only alpha to have faced Allura’s Druids and lived (a title that not even their Lord Zarkon the Just can claim); however, with his battle-cruiser critically damaged, his life could very well end unless the third planet orbiting a yellow star harbors sentient life able to assist him.
> 
> Or…
> 
> Takashi Shirogane didn’t mean to set up an orphanage for omega, femme and beta children after WWIII finally reached its conclusion; however, with no family of his own, an abandoned ranch bequeathed to him by his first orphaned child’s father and a (surprisingly) sizeable chunk of funding from the Government, here he is.
> 
> An alien ship crash-landing in their backyard should be more surprising to him than it is and yet, with Keith being cat-earred and purple, Lance having azure tattoos on his cheek-bones and Matt, alongside a temperamental but genius Pidge, insisting on the existence of aliens ever since their folks went to space and never returned, all things are relative.
> 
> And falling in love? Well, fairytales were never his thing _but_ he’s now read enough to know that crazier things have happened than two amputees from opposite sides of the known Universe finding solace in each other.
> 
>  
> 
> To my two, beloved giftees! Thank you SO MUCH for your comments and support; I really wanted to show my appreciation and so I hope that you enjoy what I've got instore for you : )

“Okay… so there’s an unconscious alien in my bed, now what?”

Today had started out like a relatively normal Tuesday, well, for him and his rag-tag crew of young prodigies, misfits and hush-hush Government secrets, anyway.

“Can we poke it?”

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Shiro looked over his shoulder at said motley ensemble of inquisitive children, his smile tight. “No, but you _can_ go back into the dining room and finish your vegetables unless you want to go _another_ night without dessert” he warned, his expression brightening when they all baulked at the threat and ran away.

Not that such idle threats would keep them at bay for long; however, they’d discovered the space-craft and its wounded pilot together which, ultimately, meant that he wouldn’t be able to keep his pack of children (all brilliant and gifted in their own way) away from their _guest_ for too long.

Judging from the (clearly alpha by scent if not by sight) male’s size, teeth, claws and mechanized prosthetic (which had been disconnected and left within the space-craft's cockpit), this wasn’t exactly safe and so he’d never been more grateful for his military experience and chest full of pulse-rifles…

“My name is Takashi Shirogane” he stated, his eyes narrowing critically when the other’s feline-ears (so similar to Keith’s when the five year old didn’t hide them beneath his cap) twitched as they’d done when he’d spoken to his brood. “I’m hoping that those machines embedded in your ears are translators and that you can hear and understand me” he furthered, a chuckle almost escaping him when the fluffy appendages jerked once more. “I have no interest in harming you _but_ if you mean to harm me or those in my care, you will be sorry, alright?”

Grunting in acknowledgement, a set of mauve eyelids fluttered open to reveal sherbet-lemon eyes (devoid of pupils) which blinked at him, that lion’s nose twitching before, with a huff of effort, the creature slowly sat up, his hulking form only just fitting upon the (almost bemused) omega’s bed. When the other caught sight of the weapon so casually slung under the omega’s shoulder, however, his motions slowed and his neutral expression became a touch more serious.

“I did not think the people of Ea-rth had such weaponry yet” he mused carefully; “my ship?”

“Heavily damaged but possibly, maybe, _hopefully_ salvageable, you know, in places?” the younger replied in what he hoped to be a soft, consolatory tone. “I’m sorry I can’t be more specific but I’ve never seen anything like it before” he furthered when he stood back to allow the alien (and how the hell, exactly, wasn’t he freaking out right now? Probably because his hind-brain was sex-deprived and this alpha was… _no_ , bad Shiro, bad!) to swing his legs over the bed’s edge.

“I see” the smooth-talker rumbled; “am I your prisoner then? This is a military-base?”

“No on both counts” the human returned; “however, I’ll remind you about my previous warning, ok? You’re one arm down and I’m fully trained to use this rifle if I need to” he continued before taking another step back when the (clearly) taller man looked like he wanted to rise. “And, although I’m no medic, I don’t think you’ll be moving around unaided for a while… I hope you don’t mind, but I striped your armor and bandaged your ribs the best I could…”

“It is appreciated” the other cut in before, with a deep intake of breath, he drew himself up to stand; “but I must… return… to my…”

“Whoa!” Shiro yipped, his form abandoning his gun (stupid, so damned _stupid_ ) to ease and tilt the (naked from the waist-up… Oh _God_ , get your head in the game and out of the gutter, Takashi!) alien back into his small (luckily freshly changed that morning) cot. “Careful, like I said, you’re in pretty bad shape…”

“B-ut, my people… they… I must get word to…”

“Hey, easy” the omega soothed whilst hoping that his calming pheromones would have the same effect on this man that they would on a human; “you’ll be no good to anyone if you die now, will you? So just lay back, that’s it” he murmured, his eyes softening when the other frowned but complied. 

“You do not understand… there is a war…”

“Oh, we know a thing or two about that around here, trust me” Shiro tried to chuckle; “and I'm sorry, I am, but if you’re looking to use anything on that ship for yours, well, I wouldn’t hold out much luck” he furthered whilst watching the other for any further signs of injury. “However, I have a few contacts I can call who are aware of extraterrestrials… maybe they can get you something strong enough to send a communiqué to your people” he offered, a genuine smile pricking his lips when the other’s lids started to flutter once more, an adorable yawn fluffing the feather-soft (he knew, he'd felt it) fur of those chiseled, angular features.

Yep, just another Tuesday…


	2. General Iverson

General Iverson was, for all intents a purposes, a man of his word and so, when Takashi Shirogane called him on the emergency-line he’d set up for such occasions, he answered.

By the end of the first three minutes, he wished he hadn’t.

“I can have a convoy with you within the hour…”

“No, _no_ , that’s not why I’m calling you” the omega interrupted, his voice hushed so as not to wake his slumbering charges across the hallway; “if what Keith’s father told us is true, then there’s no need for you to waste your resources or draw any attention to the ranch” he furthered softly. “And besides, if he makes it through the night, I’ll be able to get him back on his feet… it’s the ship that I’m worried about, that, and he seemed very anxious to get a message off-world” he added, his body leaning against the doorjamb to his bedroom. “Are the satellites showing anymore craft in the area?”

“Negative” the old alpha chuffed; “tch, not that that means much… hell, we didn’t even notice this one enter our security-grid until it ploughed through the mesosphere and we figured it was a meteorite” he continued, his tone tired and long suffering.

A potential alien invasion (regardless of Krolia’s promises) was the last thing the Earth, and it’s war-weary people, needed.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Shirogane, but I am glad, _relieved_ even that our _guest_ ended up on your doorstep… not that it’s a coincidence thanks to the _equipment_ in your storage barns, I’m sure…”

“Yeah, about that” the younger cut in with a light cough; “keeping Pidge, Matt and Hunk away from that part of the ranch is becoming more and more difficult” he murmured, a trickle of tiredness leaking into his voice; it was one in the morning but the exhaustion, just as Iverson’s, didn’t come from the hour.

WWIII had been four long, terrible years where humanity had almost extinguished itself; if not for some intervention (which no Country, no Government wanted to investigate or talk about) then they wouldn’t be here and this conversation wouldn’t be taking place.

His kids might still have their parents, families and…

“Hmm, I thought as much… I’ll have Travis pay you a little visit with some more supplies and a conduit your friend should be able to access” the alpha grunted; “in the mean time, don’t forget your training and tell the brats I said hello, alright?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh... me and my world building ways... when will I learn? ; )
> 
> I'm SO GLAD that you're both enjoying this! : )


	3. Domestic Bliss...

“Waahhh~!! Keith! You gots your hands in my cereal again! Eeewww!”

Serving five rambunctious, lively and loud children breakfast every morning was, he’d admit, not the easiest part of his day but, for the life of him, he couldn’t help but enjoy it.

“Have not! Your stupid-cereal bowl is mixed up with my paints! Why don’ you jus’ go and eat somewhere else?!”

Looking over at the picnic table that served as their kitchen-based eating space, Shiro watched as Lance and Keith settled into their early-morning squabble (they’d be cuddling up to each other on the couch later, the whole debacle forgotten) whilst Pidge, Matt and Hunk huddled together in front of a College-level textbook, their bowls being steadily emptied by the young beta and his spoon. 

“Me?! You should’na be paintin at the table! Shhiiirrrrooooo~! Tell’m!”

Somehow resisting the urge to roll his eyes, the room’s only adult (a fact that a ten year old Matt liked to contest from time to time) walked away from the sink and approached the now paint-splattered, food-mussed pair of hellions.

“Honestly you two” he mock-chided, his flesh and metal hands moving to split them up; “look at this mess… now go on, to the bathhouse with both of you…”

“ _But_?!” the pair whined in unison, their eyes wide and tearing.

“No buts” the omega warned, his arms crossing; “we have a big day today and you promised me that you’d be on your best behaviour, didn’t you? You don’t think that I’ll let you meet our guest when he wakes up with rice-crispies in your hair and paint on your pjs, right?”

Mouths closing, their heads bowing (for each child had been desperate to meet the alien), both five year olds exchanged dejected glances before picking up their dishes and sullenly marching to the sink their care-giver had just vacated; dishes deposited, they proceeded to slouch out of the room, their hands picking at each other the whole way.

Ah, domestic bliss…

“So you’re _really_ letting us see the guy?”

Blinking, his attention turning to a skeptical Pidge who was readjusting the frames of her large, circular glasses; “I’d have thought that _the Iverson_ would have forbidden it… that’s who you were talking to last night, wasn’t it?”

Sighing (because, seriously? Keeping secrets from a child with an IQ higher than their electrical bill was a full time job all on its own), Shiro knocked a few errant crumbs and bits off of the table for their rumba to munch before moving to sit next to a anxiously watching Hunk, his head snapping from the corridor which led to the bedrooms and back again. 

“Now Katie” he began, his prosthetic looping over the big-hearted beta’s shoulders to give him a brotherly squeeze; “I know you and the General don’t get along, but there’s no need to be rude” he reasoned, his smile deepening when she made to protest but, instead, simply huffed and crossed her arms. “And yes, you’re right, I did speak to him… Agent Travis should be popping by at some point with a few things _but_ , for the time being, our injured guest will be staying with us…”

“B-but… isn’t this like, really, _really_ unsafe?” Hunk managed to breathe out, his body tucking into Shiro’s side; “he… he won’t want to eat us, will he?”

Snorting, the femme of their pack (so much older than her tender seven years) baulked and adjusted her frames once more; “don’t be ridiculous” she said, her older brother nodding along for emphasis. “Are you scared that Lance will eat you or _Keith_ for that matter?”

“Huh?! What?! No… no I…”

“Can’t you see that they’re the same?” Matt asked, his right brow quirking; “I mean, the guy _I_ helped drag to the truck is a lot furrier _but_ they’re the same shade of purple with the same ears, aren’t they?”

“W-well, yeah…” Hunk managed, his expression sheepish; “it’s just… they’re aliens, _aliens_ , you know?”

“Tch, for all anyone knows, we _all_ could be” the second oldest omega observed; “that’s why we’ve all been lumped together, isn’t it? Freaks and weirdos one and all…”

“Matt” Shiro interrupted, his brows narrowing with the authority of his tone; “ _no one_ here is a freak or a weirdo, do you understand?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for a smidge of AU based clarity:
> 
> *Lance and Keith are five years old  
> *Pidge and Hunk are seven  
> *Matt is ten  
> *Shiro is twenty three


	4. Not a Coma...

Sendak had awoken to many different noises in his long life-time but, to the sounds of bickering children?

No, surely not; he must have hit his head hard enough to cause auditory hallucinations and so it was best to stay calm and simply ignore what he _thought_ he could hear. 

Grunting, his whole body aching, the Commander forced his eyes to open; the room he’d been placed in was fairly large, rectangular and (if his nose was anything to do by) constructed from wood. He was laying atop a raised bedding-platform pressed against a windowless wall and covered in a sheet of fabric stitched together out of heavily patterned squares. At the foot of the bed, a large window displayed a sprawling, semi-arid landscape whilst the rest of the room housed similarly wooden furniture, a selection of framed images and a plethora of papers containing messy, sprawling designs adorned the walls in various places.

So his nightmare of crash landing away from his fleet during a pivotal battle had been reality, then.

Sucking in a breath, his flesh hand rubbing across his eyes whilst he flexed the stump of his shoulder out of habit; how should he proceed?

“Can we see if he’s awake now? _Pllleeaasseee?_ ”

Baulking, his jaw loosening in shock, the Galran slowly pulled himself into a sitting position with a restrained wheeze, his eyes sliding to a crude, lock-less door painted in the same creamy colour as the rest of the chamber whilst two diminutive bodies opened it and tumbled through.

“Oowww! _Lance_! Get’owf!”

“Me?! You’re lyin on my arm!”

“Only ‘cus you grabbed me!”

“Did not!”

“Did _too_!”

“Ooohhh… you guys are in _so much **trouble**_ ” an equally small femme called, her large, inquisitive eyes roaming from the wrestling duo to him; “he’s awake and _I’m_ telling” she stated with finality, her body disappearing from the entrance as the pair gawped and floundered upon the polished floor.

“Pidge! Wait!”

“Sshhiiirrrroooo?!”

“Perhaps I am in a coma?” Sendak heard himself murmur, his head cocking to the side when, his eyes widening, he found himself staring at the younglings, their own stares fixed on him whilst they continued to struggle.

“Whoa… mullet, is that your dad?”

“Shut- _up_!” the small Galran, no, half-Galran hissed, his strange eyes flashing gold as he shoved the other child away; “my dad was human! My _mom_ was, well… whatever _we_ are” he huffed sulkily whilst he stood on shaky, naked feet and fearlessly padded over to an increasingly more bemused commander. “I am Keith Kagone, that’s Lance McClane and you are?”

“I…”

“Oh for the love of… Out, both of you, _now_ ” a much taller, strangely familiar human(?) commanded, his body having materialised inside the room with a raised weapon in one hand and smugly preening femme hugged to the opposite hip.

“Aww, but he’s awake…”

“Yes, I can see that, thank you” the male, an _omega_ , stated through a huff before, with a smile that had the alpha slightly taken aback, he said; “sorry, we don’t often receive visitors and…”

“There is no need to apologise” he assured stiffly, a strange feeling of self-consciousness overcoming him when he realised that he was only partially dressed in the presence of an unmated, highly sort-after bearer; “I am the one intruding on you and so it’s my apology to give” he added, his form almost flinching when the other smiled wider.

“Nonsense, I’m just glad to see you’re awake… are you hungry? Thirsty? Can…”

“Oh! Oh! I’ll go get him some water!”

“ _No-way_! I was just gonna do that!” Keith challenged, his glare of scrutiny snapping from the alien to his best-friend who, with a devious smirk and wink, was already sprinting towards the kitchen; “Laannncceeee! Wait!”

Watching them go, Sendak’s sense of unease spiked as the clearly non-Galra boy turned to flick out his tongue in an impish gesture; he was Altean.


	5. Not a threat...

Easing his bruised back against the blessedly cool surface of the _papered_ wall (the people of Ea-rth seemed to have an odd fixation with the application of dead plant matter, it seemed), Sendak offered a nod (and a nervous noise he swiftly covered over with a cough) of thanks when a tray was gently placed upon his lap.

The strange food presented to him may have looked unusual but the scents were _divine_ …

“These are some of Keith’s favourites so, well, I figured what’s good for one Galra might be good for the other?” the omega (those smooth, handsome features lit once more with a bashful smile) stated warmly, his flesh hand pointing to the various dishes. “This is a chicken and mayo sandwich with a fresh green salad with extra tomatoes and crispy-onions... Those should be eaten together but _this_ is a slice of devil’s food-cake... Now, the kids insisted that Hunk and I bake it for you however I’m _pretty_ sure they’re all eagerly enjoying their own servings” he furthered with a chuckle. 

Taking another deep breath, his clawed fingers reaching for the _sand_ (he could see no silicate, thankfully) _wich_ , Sendak took the first bite and, before he knew it, the delicious, soft offering was gone; had he truly been so hungry?

“ _Whoa_ , looks like you were right to make more, huh?”

Blinking (and straightening a fraction), the freedom-fighter turned away from his meal to observe a younger omega who bore a striking resemblance to the femme he’d seen earlier that cycle; “should I bring the platter in?”

“I think that’s a good idea, Matt” Shiro returned with a grin; “is everyone nearly finished?”

“Yeah” the slender youth replied, his hands nervously pushing at his glasses; “ugh, I’ll be back in a sec... Umm, the others want to come in... should I tell them to wait until you’ve, you know, talked or whatever?”

Nodding, his expression warm, the taller human offered a “that’d be great, thank you... uh, bring more dessert too, please” which made the adolescent leave briefly before returning to pass the edibles over and then gently shut the door. Now, Sendak would have liked to have been more observant, however, the red and green vegetation was equally tasty (and the strange, metal implement wasn’t difficult to use unlike some of the alien tools he’d had to deal with in the past) but the _cake_? 

There were not enough superlatives in any language to do it justice. 

“So...” the ebony haired male began conversationally enough, his form sliding onto a (unsurprisingly) wooden chair after the final portions of food were deposited before the Galra’s greedy hand; “you may not remember, but my name is Takashi Shirogane, however, everyone calls me Shiro” he said. “May I ask your name?” 

“Of course... forgive me for failing to do so sooner... I would have found a way to do so should you have reacted in the way I had been expecting when we first met this morning; however, upon seeing the kit of Galra lineage, I can see now why a person from a Class Three world has been so... _understanding_ ” the seven foot alpha stated. “I am Sendak, Commander of Lord Zarkon the Just’s Sigma Fleet” he added with the tone and authority that his rank inferred (even with a spoon full of cake desperately edging towards his lips. “It is a pleasure to meet you, and I extend you my thanks...”

“I’m grateful for your thanks _but_ I would much prefer to hear you swear, upon your honour and the Axis, that you will uphold your oath to protect children from harm... _all_ children” he said, his tone serious and eyes sharp; “I saw how you looked at Lance...”

“That boy is an Altean” the fur-ruffed male grunted in bewilderment, his next mouthful of cake sadly going uneaten; “how came you to know about the Axis and the Oath of Champions?”

“Keith, or rather, Yorak’s mother” the human returned, his demeanour shifting slightly; “do you swear?”

“Of course” the mauve alien snorted, his own expression souring; “ _we_ are not the monsters who slaughter any who fail to...”

“And neither is Lance” Shiro cut in, his tone brokering no argument; “I know a lot about taking sides, about hate and fear and death” he continued when it looked as though his _guest_ wanted to retort: “our wars may not have spanned as long as yours, but we’ve had them, we know what it is to suffer” he stated. “That child, regardless of his genetics _is_ a child and someone who I care about incredibly deeply” he continued, their eyes locking; “you could be stranded here for a while which means we have to get along...”

“Or I _will_ become your prisoner?” the Commander interrupted bluntly. “You mean to threaten me?”

“Oh, if I wanted to threaten you, kitten, we wouldn’t be sat here with you enjoying my food, my room and my bed, alright?” the younger offered, his tone light but the subtle shifting of his body language instantly put the Galra’s hind-brain on alert.

Here was a soldier, a predator, a bearer protecting his cubs...

If he hadn’t been smitten before, he definitely was now.


	6. Speechless...

“What’cha think they’re talking about in there?”

Yawning, his hands happily maneuvering a brush through Pidge’s long, auburn locks, Hunk shrugged at the younger boy who was sat beside him; “adult stuff” he offered, his doe-eyes flicking to the closed door: “I hope he liked my cake…”

“Tch, anyone with a tongue in their head would love your cooking” the femme snorted, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the relaxing sensation of the bristles running through her hair whilst the three of them lounged upon a pile of cushions they’d scattered on the landing leading from the creaky stairs to the first set of bedrooms. 

“Yeah!” Lance agreed eagerly, his human ears sharpening elvishly whilst his brunette tresses momentarily flashed white. “No one talks trash about you _or_ your food on our watch!”

Smiling warmly at the younger boy, Hunk lightly nudged his shoulder in thanks; “you guys are the best…”

“You’re also causing a fire-hazard” Matt informed bluntly whilst he and Keith ascended towards them, their faces equally annoyed; “what are you all doing here? We’re _supposed_ to be downstairs…”

“Doing what?” the femme challenged, her honeyed eyes meeting her brother’s; “it’s Saturday so we have no home-school work and Agent Travis isn’t at the door so what _should_ we be doing, hum?”

“Something that’s not bothering Shiro” the omega replied with a huff, his arms folding as he stood to look down at his sibling; “he’s got enough to worry about without you guys tripping him up when he leaves his room…”

“But aren’t we _supposed_ to be seeing the Gall-ran guy soon? He’s gonna be staying here, isn’t he?”

“It’s _Galran_ ” the oldest of the group corrected, his middle finger pushing his glasses up in a clearly superior manner as Lance rolled his azure eyes; “and I don’t know what the situation with our _guest_ is, but you guys aren’t helping by moping around here” he furthered with a huff whilst Keith nodded along.

“Ugh! That’s’not answerin’ the question!” the Altean challenged, his lips pouting; “we can’t go to the storage-barn, _no one_ wants to do chores and we’ve watched _all_ the movies in the ranch-house! We’re not even allowed outside ‘cus of that UFO or whatever, so…”

“So… are you all ready to come and say hi?”

Baulking, their faces snapping to the door just a step or two down the hallway, all five of the children stumbled up and over themselves (and each other) as they straightened their t-shirts and fussed with imaginary dirt they started patting away whilst their guardian looked on fondly; “come on, then.”

Exchanging looks, their small forms huddling together, all five children strolled into their care-giver’s bedroom, their eyes wide and unblinking when they saw the purple, fur coated alpha who stood by the window in a kind of parade-rest, his body covered in tight-fitting black pants and bandages around his middle.

“Everyone, this is Commander Sendak of the Galra-Resistance… Commander, you’ve already met Keith, Matt and Lance, however, Katie and Hunk will be new to you I’m sure” the oldest omega stated warmly, his hands pointing to each in turn. “Guys, the Commander is still quite tired after everything he’s been through so let’s keep this visit short and sweet, alright? You’ll get to know each other better when he’s more able to move around, ok?”

Nodding their understanding, each of the orphans shuffled a little further forward whilst the huge (by comparison), intimidating figure continued to loom with the window’s light haloing him, until (a light cough and a certain _look_ from Shiro) he made a strange, almost strangled noise and crouched down closer to their level. “You have… questions?” he tried.

Easing up at the familiar words and soft tone, Keith was the first to step forward; “do you know my mom?”

“I…”

“She’s like me and you… only, pro’ly more like you ‘cus my dad was human” the five year old continued boldly, his shoulders set whilst his friends flanked him; “her name is Krolia and she had to leave me and dad ‘cus of the fighting, or something…”

“Oh! What about our parents?” Pidge cut in eagerly, her summer-dress fluttering as she moved to stand by her purple-skinned friend; “humans have got to be pretty rare in space, right? But our mom and dad and Hunk’s mom and dad are extra special because they were the only ones smart enough to…”

“Guys… the Commander is…”

“I am sorry” Sendak interrupted calmly, almost gently; “I have not encountered a femme by your mother’s name, nor have I ever met hu-mans before these two cycles… I must confess, my ship’s emergency systems only locked onto this world thanks to a weak signal from a homing-beacon and nothing more” he stated. “However, when I make my return, I shall enquire after your parents and find means to report back to you when I’m able…”

“Oh wow! Could you do the same for me?”

Trying his best not to narrow his eyes or bristle under the gaze of alien-daubed Altean features, Sendak instead snuck a look at the omega who’d fed and sheltered him; “I am afraid that won’t be possible” he answered, his tone curt but not unkind. “Your people and mine are…”

“I believe what the Commander is trying to say _is_ ” the oldest human cut in, his words directed to his brood whilst a glare quickly flattened the alpha’s ears. “That space is a really big place and, from what we know, Alteans make up a big part of it” he said, his expression softening as he encouraged: “it couldn’t hurt to tell him your mom’s name though, just in case, right?”

Nodding, his hands fisting in his t-shirt as he managed to meet the stranger’s eyes, he breathed out: “my mama’s called Honerva… oh, and I was told that I have a brother, too…”

“ _Impossible!_ ” the full-blood snarled before he could catch himself, his outburst causing the former fighter pilot to hiss, his body moving to stand between his children and the Galran; however, his little body trembling, Lance slid around with a growl of his own, his form flanked by Keith: “no it’s’not!” he challenged. “That’s my mama’s name! I have’s pictures an’ a locket an’ everythin’…”

“By the Ancients” Sendak breathed, his anger reigned in; “what you’re saying just can’t be true as that would mean…” he tried, his flustered state easing Shiro’s desire to snatch up his rifle; “boy… _Lance_ … I apologise for my actions… is this” he gestured at the teary eyed child: “your true form?”

“Nuh-uh” he close to sniffled; “G-General Iverson said…”

“It’s ok, honey, you can show him” the adult omega promised, his body moving to kneel on the young beta’s other side; “the Commander has promised on his life not to hurt any of you no matter what, okay?”

Humming uncertainly, their youngest pack-mate closed his eyes and relaxed; watching on, the oldest member of the room sucked in a deep inhale when the five year olds sun-kissed skin brightened to lavender whilst his hair bleached white as his ear lengthened into the traditional Altean shape.

Lord Zarkon’s lost son was not only alive but standing right before him, his features so similar to their long-dead Queen and the brain-washed heir-apparent that Sendak found himself at a loss for words.

Then, as though sensing the disquiet, the doorbell rang…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun, dun, ddddduuunnnnnn!! 
> 
> ; )


	7. Agent Travis...

Agent Travis was a mild-mannered man with a receding hairline, glasses and no sense of humour…

“Shiro~! The Iverson’s minion is here!”

Which, of course, made dealing with _children_ all the more unbearable; his superiors must secretly hate him, of this he was sure.

“Hey, Bob, how’ve you been?”

Tilting his head at the omega, his rumpled military uniform hanging off slumped shoulders, the beta ambled his way into the large, vintage ranch house with a pointed look at the tongue-flicking femme before, with a sigh, he followed his host into the den, his form sinking into a love-worn couch with his brief-case at his feet.

“Lieutenant Shirogane, could we keep pleasantries to a minimum so I can be on my way, please?” he huffed, his grey eyes now zeroing in on each nonplussed child; “this business is classified...”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it” Keith grumbled, his gold gaze flaring from behind his violet bangs and crimson baseball-cap beck; “come on guys... let’s go see if we can find any of my dad’s clothes big enough to fit the sour-puss...”

“Ha! _Nice_!”

“Boys” Shiro shushed, his voice on reprimand-mode; “what have I told you about...”

“ _So~rry~_ ” the five year olds parroted in unison, their eyes on the cusp of rolling; “last one to the attic is a rotten-egg!” Lance whooped, his hands giving his Galran best friend a playful shove before he started his awkward sprint. 

“Wah! Get back here you big cheat!”

“T-the attic? The spider-filled, creepy, old...”

“Come on Hunk! They’re going to win!”

“Hey! No running in the house! It’s rule number fifteen!” Matt called after them, his legs skipping up their speed whilst watching Katie tug at a reluctant beta’s trembling arm; the young aliens were, however, already out of sight and hammering up to the wooden structure’s seldom used third floor. 

Sighing, his whole body tingling with the affection he felt, Shiro felt a touch of that happiness ebb when reality (in the form of a surly, paper-shuffling Agent) reminded him of his current situation; “I take it that the conduit I was promised is in the service vehicle outside, you know, alongside the soldiers who _aren’t_ supposed to encroach upon this property?”

“Yes” the beta answered curtly; “can’t have those ankle-biters of yours getting their sticky fingers all over what limited alien-tech we have without the proper supervision or motivation, can we?” he furthered; if he noticed the omega’s cutting glare then he failed to mention it. “General Iverson has also sent a prototype force-field for you to activate around the storage-barn… as always, it’s my job to remind you to report if any of the children are able to tamper with or improve what equipment you’re loaned” he added, his hands extending a manila-folder. “Speaking of which, their latest projects are also being delivered today since they did so well with the last batch” he said, a small, dry smile curving his lips; “they’re doing far better than anticipated…”

“They’re also children” the prosthetic wearer grunted bluntly; “I told Iverson that I wouldn’t let _any_ of you…”

“Yes, yes, _Lieutenant_ , your arguments, worries and concerns have all been noted” Travis sighed; “however, as you’re well aware, we’ve not only got ourselves and our planet’s people to worry about anymore…”

“Don’t talk to me as though you fought in any of the battles, Agent” Shiro found himself breathing, his shoulders set; “the second that I feel that you and the Garrison don’t have their best interest at the heart of what we’re doing here, then you know what will happen…”

“Tch, _of course_ ” the older of the pair snorted; “the folder, Lieutenant?”

Scowling, the former fighter-pilot peeled open the envelope to pull the documents free; “w-what? No… no way, you… the Government _can’t_ be serious…”

“Oh keep reading, there’s _plenty_ more where that came from” the beta commented blithely, his body struggling to pull away from plush cushions to stand; “two of my subordinates are unloading everything you’ll need as we speak” he stated. “We’ve thrown in extra food rations, frozen-goods and a bottle of something strong for your _visitor_ should you need to sweeten the deal, any” he close to laughed but the sound was brittle and hard.

“However, a lovely young thing like you might be sweet enough already…”


	8. Bath-time...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe...
> 
> Nothing explicit/graphic by the way of nakedness or shenanigans… but that`s on the way 
> 
> ; 3

Earth bathing facilities were going to prove _trying_ …

“Okay... so this tap activates the hot and this one, cold... you’ll need to fiddle with the dials to get the temperature you want...”

“Of water?”

“... and, ugh” Shiro stuttered to a stop, his body standing in one of the three shower stalls the Ranch’s bathhouse provided (he would have offered the Galra his own en-suite bathroom, however, the area was simply too small for him to access comfortably); “yeah, water... is that a problem?”

Regarding the metal piping and wooden-slated floor (for drainage, no doubt) dubiously, the Commander smothered the sigh which tried to leave him; he was a guest here and receiving (what he was sure to be) the finest of Earther hospitality. It could be rude to...

“Is... is it because of your fur?”

Blinking, his head tilting to appraise the curious omega, Sendak felt his cheeks heating; “it... would be an inconvenience to become sodden... especially as moving my torso has become quite _difficult_ ” he reluctantly admitted.

He loathed being weakened at the best of times, but here? In front of such a charming creature? Well, it was...

“Huh, ok... I guess I’ll just have to give you a sponge bath, then” the shorter shrugged, a flicker of something not quite innocent crossing his handsome (although furless) features; “there’s a stool for you to sit on... umm, do you need any help removing your bandages or your pants because...”

“You _cannot_ be serious” the alpha all but squeaked, his legs automatically stepping away from the other; “it is _indecent_ for one such as you to be degraded to the status of my _nurse-maid_ ” he choked: “neither of us are mated, my kind hold your gender as sacred and… I… it’s… _it’s_ …”

“Perfectly fine” Shiro laughed warmly, his flesh hand reaching out to snag the sputtering male’s wrist; “I’m the carer to five kids, I’ve served in my Country’s military since I was sixteen and I can promise you, with the exception of your fur, you’ve got nothing I haven’t seen or had to bathe before…”

“ _B-but…_ ”

“But nothing” the human huffed; “you’re not getting sick or dirtying up my bedroom on my watch, okay? Now, are you gonna take those off or do you need me to…”

Yipping (but not managing to pull himself away; all of his jerks and sudden movements were straining his fractured ribs enough to make him feel queasy and he would _not_ dishonor his host by retching), the Commander grunted a hasty: “I… I am _more_ than capable of…”

“Good” the omega chirped; “get to it then… I’ll go fill up a tub and get the wash-cloths ready” he added lightly, his back turning as he walked out of the stall and into the rest of the small, mirror, sink and latrine spotted room. “Do you have a soap preference? Keith likes chamomile and lavender…”

“Any will be sufficient, _thank you_ ” Sendak heard himself bite out, his shock and embarrassment rapidly morphing into mortification whilst clawed fingers desperately tried to unravel the strips of cloth that’d been so expertly wrapped about him. “By the Ancients… being forced to undress… ordered around… what is the Universe coming to? I am a warrior, not a…”

“What was that?”

“ _Nothing_ ” he yelped, his eyes widening when the omega somehow materialized next to him (was he so damaged and tired that he could not track the movements of a man two-thirds his size?), his hands carrying a basin of warm, wonderfully scented water with various cloths draped over his arms and shoulders. 

“Aww, is the big, scary alpha mad because he needs some help, hmm?”

“I… what… _you_?!”

“Here” Shiro chuckled, his bathing supplies already set out upon the floor so that his hands could bat clumsy, lightly shaking claws away and begin the task of pulling the bandages off; “honestly, there’s no need to make such a fuss…”

Growling a little (until the other’s thoroughly unimpressed look flicked his lips back over the fangs he’d started to flash in a firm scowl), the Galran snorted and turned his head away; “I am not making a fuss…”

“Then why are you pouting?”

“I most **certainly _am not_**!” he defended through a bark, his hand curling into a fist whilst he grit his teeth in frustration.

“Uh-huh… you can step out of those now…”

“ _Step_? Wha…”

Gawping, his entire coat puffing in horror, Sendak looked down to stare, disbelievingly, at the black fabric about his talon-tipped feet, his hand now rushing to cover himself whilst Shiro rolled his eyes and bent down to tug at the fabric until the stupefied male stumbled away and straight onto the stool which he very nearly fell off with an undignified yip. 

“There now, was that so hard?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh teasing Sendak… it never gets old! ; 3


	9. Report...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well... after all of the cute stuff last chapter...
> 
> I had to get bitten by one of my serious-bunnies, didn't I?
> 
> Oh-well; world-building ahoy!!

Admiral Sanda, a thin cigar minutely twitching between her ever-present frown, took in the equally demur presence of Agent Travis before sliding her gaze to a professionally neutral Iverson; “the situation is not to my liking, gentlemen…”

“It is what it is, Admiral” the Government official cut in; “technically, Lieutenant Shirogane is only listed as an employee of the Garrison to provide an adequate cover-story should any hackers still be lurking around and on the prowl for secrets to expose” he shrugged. “You and the General here are merely… _witnesses_ , I suppose, to what we’re trying to achieve…”

“Yes, yes, I am _quite_ aware” the femme sighed out, her brows furrowing lightly; “however, we needn’t remind you of the contributions and allowances we’ve extended to you at what is quite the high risk to ourselves” she quipped. “ _Technically_ , all military operations are under the jurisdiction of the UN and no singular countries…”

“My God, the pair of you, just knock it off” the scarred alpha grunted; “Jesus, can we stop playing the game of ‘my balls are bigger than your balls’ and just get on with the meeting? We’ve got another Galra on Earth and a ship to salvage which, I’m pretty sure, is not going to score us any brownie-points…”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about keeping the alien’s favour, General, our ranch-bait will see to that…”

“ _ **What?!**_ ” Iverson snarled, his body lifting out of his chair to glare down at the unaffected, coffee sipping beta who regarded him with the air of a King glancing a peasant; “Travis, I swear, any harm comes to that boy and…”

“That _boy_ is a man and a Government asset” Bob countered pointedly; “he _wants_ to continue in his position and is well equipped to handle the situation” he added with a light shrug. “His current mission is hardly illegal or dangerous… these _Galra_ are a soft touch regardless of that war our first Galran contact kept ranting about” he reminded. 

“At this stage, he’s only been tasked with making our _new friend_ comfortable and amenable to gauge how likely we are to gain some kind of allegiance from him and his Lord Zarkon” he stated, his own frown darkening. “Since Kagone mated with that femme and ran off with her, the Holts’ and Garretts’ into space, with no means of real-time contact and a plan that I _know_ they won’t have stuck to, keeping those children and this Galran alpha onside may be the only hope we have in case of an invasion” he huffed. 

“Don’t talk about those people as though they didn’t end WWIII, Bob” Iverson hissed, his body having returned to his seat; “they’re the best people we had to offer… if anyone on Earth was capable of helping Krolia after _everything_ she did for us…”

“Relying on aliens and their intervention is a dark and dangerous road to take, Travis” Sanda interrupted after a long drag of her smoke; “and revering them and the traitors of man-kind who abandoned us in our greatest time of need is equally worrisome… That is why _I_ am here, this is why _we_ are talking” she said, her tone crisp and cutting. 

“For now, let Shirogane have his time to win this off-worlder around; however, the second all of that _honour_ bullshit washes off I want the creature tranqued, neutralized and brought to this base for safe keeping…”

“Admiral, you can’t…”

“Iverson, are you questioning your superior officer?” she asked, her gun-metal eyes coldly critical; “instead of court-marshalling you, I am giving the omega you think so highly off an opportunity to prove me wrong whilst also breaking several world-laws in the service of my country” she stated bluntly. “Therefore, I expect you to listen to and follow my orders… do you have a problem with that?”

“No ma’am…”

“Good… how about you, Robert? Do my terms sound unreasonable to you?”

Humming noncommittally, his lips draining the rest of his coffee, the Agent simply regarded her placidly; “who am I to question?” he offered with a shrug. “Or, rather, who are _any_ of us, hmm? All I know is that there is much to gain here and also plenty to lose” he said, a slow, cruel smile tugging at his lips. “However, I don’t intend to be a loser in this situation… and I may not play so _nice_ if I see your decisions leading me in that direction” he continued whilst standing, his brief-case in hand; “I’m sure the President and my other _associates_ will feel the same…”


	10. How did we get here? (Part 1)

“Would it be rude of me to ask you questions of a... personal nature?”

Blinking, his hands deftly running a towel over a broad (sadly scarred, and quite deeply in some places; not that you could see them thanks to thick, luscious waves of purple fur) back, Shiro hummed out a: “not if I can do the same.”

Grunting the affirmative, his hand resting atop the short towel he’d snagged and wrapped about his hips so that it cloaked his lap, Sendak flicked his ears uncertainly; “how did you come to be here, with the children and my Prince, I mean?” he asked. “Our scouts have only ever flown past your planet a handful of times this past century and, on the last official visit, your people were only just sending satellites into orbit and so I find myself quite confused about my current situation” he furthered lightly. “When my battle-cruiser locked onto Ear-th, I had thought it merely a matter of your home having a breathable atmosphere... I certainly didn’t expect to wake and find myself amongst people who would know of the Galra.”

Smiling softly, his hands now working on shoulders which first tensed then _melted_ under his ministrations (the purr rumbling from the other’s chest _almost_ made him chuckle; Keith’s was much softer by comparison), the omega sucked in a breath.

Where to begin?

“Well, it’s quite the long story but, since the kids have got a few new boxsets to get through, I figure we have time” he replied, his eyes looking off into the near distance; “for me, it all truly began three years ago…”

**~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~**

Staring at his watch, 02:00 hours, Shiro found that, no matter how tired he was, no matter how much his body yearned for bed, he just couldn’t pull himself off the floor; he’d been sat, undisturbed, against the memorial wall since 23:00 and was finding it harder to find reasons to leave.

The war was dragging on, he’d lost _so_ much and even just being near Adam’s face upon the memorial plaque had become better than the nothingness which awaited him in the small room they’d been granted upon their engagement.

His prosthetic _ached_ with the memory of the crash which should have killed him, too…

“…can’t be seriously suggesting that we do this Sam?”

Raising his head from where it had been resting atop his knees, the omega frowned lightly; was that, Colleen Holt? The last time he’d checked, civilians were off-limits thanks to the ongoing drone-strikes…

“What choice do we have, honey?”

Eyes widening, fatigue momentarily forgotten, Shiro scrambled up and away from the wall to hide behind it since the sounds of the Holts’ worried whispers were coming closer.

“What about Matt and Katie? What about…”

“Krolia’s technology can end our war tomorrow” the male voice, definitely his friend and mentor; “she’s prepared to give up Keith for however long it takes and he’s a toddler…”

“God-damn it! You can’t compare what she’s willing to sacrifice to…”

“The pair of you, shush!”

Frowning deeper, the concealed omega cautiously peered around the monument as General Iverson and the pair stood in the chamber’s door-way, their forms only visible thanks to the emergency lighting that they were allowed during the curfew in effect.

The curfew he was breaking…

“You have no power over me, Iverson” Colleen bit out, her form clearly irritated; “I…”

“ _You_ need to get back into that conference room, the both of you” the old alpha hissed; “we’re not done and… shit, Shirogane, is that you?”

Cursing to himself (clearly he’d been leaning a little too much; he was exhausted and mourning, after all and so he chose not to feel too badly about being caught), Shiro sighed and stepped into the light; “General?”

Face-palming, his mouth opening to berate him, no doubt, the omega braced himself for the inevitable; however, before the reprimands could come…

“O-oh… Takashi, Takashi I am _so sorry!_ "

Huffing out a wheeze, his body enveloped in fierce hug, the Lieutenant found the femme who’d just spoken to him sobbing into his shoulder, her form trembling; “h-here I am fretting over something so… so simple which could end this ugly, ugly war... when you’re in mourning…”

“W-what? You could end the..."

“For Christ’s sake” the oldest male of the room grumbled; “I do not have time to…”

“Wait a minute” Sam breathed, his body (dressed in his Garrison uniform; he looked almost as disheveled as the youngest man at their impromptu gathering) moving towards his wife and subordinate; “this… this could work…”

“Holt, you’re not seriously suggesting…”

“Who else could I trust with my kids outside of my own family… hell! I’ve been training and working with Takashi since he was a cadet in the orphanage” the bespeckled scientist stated, his tone hurried and smile growing; “we _are_ family…”

“This is ridiculous” Iverson snapped; “our business is…”

“Now going to include Lieutenant Shirogane or I am leaving and taking my expertise with me” the other alpha challenged haughtily, his right hand reaching out to grasp the shocked omega’s shoulder; “how do you feel about saving the world, son?” 

_**~*~*~*~Present~*~*~*~** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must be a good-girl and work on my reports tomorrow... I must not write more of this story.... I mustn't... I mustn't...
> 
> -_-;;


	11. How did we get here? (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oohhh… Smutslug, I didn't know I was dealing with a Sith-Lord!
> 
> You win this round, you little minx! I'll just have to finish my last report on my lunch break tomorrow, now, won't I?
> 
> ; )
> 
>  
> 
> **Warnings: the angst tags people, look at them!**

“I can’t tell you what we discussed exactly, of course” Shiro mused, his hands dunking the flannel back into the clean, scented water before wringing it out to begin the task of cleansing the alpha’s velvety ears; “however, especially since he’s the son of your leader, I’ll tell you how Lance came to be with me...”

**~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~**

Staring down at the pair of two year olds, his mind boggling, the omega offered each of them a hand to play with as they settled upon his lap whilst their mother (or, he supposed her to be such; maybe it was wrong of him to assume that or even her, the _alien’s_ , gender. All he knew was that she was purple... and so were they) watched him coolly. 

“Umm...”

“I am Krolia” she cut in, those other-worldly eyes sharp and unkind; “I am a loyal soldier to Lord Zarkon the Just and am currently undercover within the Altean slave-army known as the Blade of Marmora” she furthered: “not that this means anything to you, yes?”

“I...”

“You are trusted by the Holts who, in turn, are trusted by my Ear-th mate” she continued, her tall, lean body still standing rigidly by the closed door, a vein near her eyes twitching as though it physically pained her to see the children happily babbling as he subconsciously, rhythmically bounced his legs to delight them. “I have no such trust... I had thought the ability to do such a thing had been robbed from me and had no intention, no hope of coming to have such precious things as family in my life again” she stated, her look minutely softening. “You know what it is to lose something so precious, don’t you?”

Swallowing, a nod managing its way out (for he was certain the question had been rhetorical due to her blunt tone), Shiro somehow managed to retain eye contact even when the smaller child (white haired and, apparently, nameless) started to rub gooey gums across his fingers.

“Your own family?”

“I... uh, never really had one” he heard himself answer (he was pretty sure he was in some kind of shock; he was talking to an _alien_ in a small conference room at 05:00 hours with no sleep in the past twenty-four, after all). “Well, umm, I must have had parents but... well, I was raised in an orphanage and never adopted... what little paper-work I’ve ever seen didn’t cite any names, just that I was left by the gates of the Japanese Embassy in box from the Shirogane Corporation” he continued.

“Then what qualifies you for the task Sam is suggesting?”

Frowning lightly (it wasn’t her lack of empathy that angered him (he’d grown used to that; everyone had a sob story somewhere, didn’t they?) but her accusatory glare), the omega jiggled his charges a little when they began to fuss. “Living in an orphanage until I was able to join the Garrison means that I’ve been around children of all ages for the majority of my life... I changed my first diaper when I was five, I’ve undertaken several child-rearing courses as part of my extracurricular studies and...”

“You are an _omega_ ” she interrupted; “on my homeworld, _before_ it fell, that would have been enough” she said, her body seemingly becoming more agitated, angry... _upset_? “But this is not Daibazaal... Allura has long since shattered it in her madness and I cannot... I will not allow her to destroy anything else so valuable if I am able” she breathed. “These children are two of the first to be born on a planet free of her and her influence... it is my sworn oath to ensure that they may grow up to inherit a Universe where their freedom can exist not just for themselves, but their own children and generations to come.”

Sighing softly, his action causing gold and cobalt eyes to look up at him, Shiro smiled at them before sticking out his tongue, causing them to giggle until twitching fingers drew them back into play; “General Iverson has told my briefly about what you and the others are trying to accomplish” he murmured. “I can’t imagine what courage it will take to even attempt it, let alone to leave your children behind... the fact that you can solve our energy crisis and end our own petty conflict is something I can never repay you for, either” he added. “However, if I can take care of your children and love them the best that I can until you get back, well, I can promise you whole-heartedly that I’ll...”

“Only Yorak is mine” Krolia cut in, her body stiffening once more; “you also hold Lord Zarkon’s son within your grasp” she said, clawed fingers cutting into her tightly folded arms: “should anything happen to him, then...” she tried but, with a stomp of her foot, her composure was gone and she turned away abruptly.

Blinking, and gently shushing the children who startled to fidget upon her actions, the omega hummed at them again until they quieted; “Yorak, huh? Well, your daddy called you Keith when he handed you over… let’s see which one you pick when you’re big enough to decide, hmm?” he crooned whilst small, kittenish ears flexed at him. “And what about you, little Prince, do you have a name?”

“H-his mother, Lady Honerva, passed away within moments of entrusting him to me” the femme called from over her shoulder, her voice now more exhausted than anything else; “a human family who have recently lost a child and not had the chance to declare it have graciously agreed that their infant’s name can be assigned to him in the meantime… It is his father who should name him when all is well and the Altean scourge has been defeated” she explained. 

“He is to be referred to as Lance McClain… a woman from this clan, Veronica, I believe, will be joining us in the coming cycle so that he may assimilate DNA from her to alter his colouring and shape… it is a trait from his mother’s people that I only wish could be bestowed upon my boy” she sighed, her shoulders finally slumping as she turned back around.

“You meant what you said? You will love them?”

Offering her what he hoped to be a sincere smile, the omega held the two all the closer; “I could and would never hope to replace you or Logan, Krolia, but I promise to give them all the love I have to give… them and the other three I’ve been told about, too” he stated, his tone sure and eyes bright.

“Who couldn’t love kids as cute as them, huh?”

**~*~*~*~Present~*~*~*~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so MEAN to Shiro... I'll make it up to him with lot's of SMUT later! You'll see!
> 
> Also, yeah, Logan Kagone… I just think that works!
> 
> ; 3


	12. Interruptions...

Grunting, his head tilting to the side, Sendak felt his lips pursing; “you told him to give his mother’s name when we first met” he murmured: “you thought that the best way to endear him to me, yes?”

“Well, I am more than a pretty face” Shiro chuckled. “From what I understand, Lady Honerva had gone into hiding decades ago, hadn’t she? Apparently Lance was kept inside some kind of chryo-chamber where Krolia stashed him if your concerns over his identity thanks to his age were going to form your next questions” he added. “Also, I figure if anyone has the right to tell him about his mother and their family, it’d be his father and brother, wouldn’t it” he mused gently, his tone turning from sombre to playful. “Now I think it’s about time that _I_ got to ask you a thing or two, alright?” he chuckled whilst moving around to the alpha’s front, his smirk tilting into a true smile when the other stiffened against the light, cloth massaging touches at his jaw. 

“V-very well” the other said through a cough; “p-perhaps if you were to stand...”

“A little closer?” the omega asked innocently, that same sparkle in his eye as he inched into the taller male’s space; “there we go, I can reach you that much better like this, can’t I?” he added nonchalantly whilst powdered lemon eyes desperately tried to look anywhere but at him, his arms or proximity. “Okay, question one, what do you like to do for fun?”

“F-fun?” the Galran breathed out, the tension he’d built melting whilst clever digits massaged up the sides of his face and into his ears; “you have a Commander of an army which outnumbers your own populace at your mercy (“ _oh? Do I?_ ), yes mercy, and you wish to learn about me and my personal preferences?” 

“Of course” Shiro replied easily, his tone warm and genuine; “as a Commander you out-rank me and asking you anything about your current mission or the status of your troops is, quite frankly, none of my business... not that I can say the same for when General Iverson gets here tomorrow” he continued. “And besides, why wouldn’t I want to know more about you, hmm? Aside from being my first adult company in _months_ , meeting someone from a completely different culture is really quite the treat for me” he added, his hands now running down to ruffle a fluffy neck. “So? Come on, spill the beans, what’s fun for a space-hero?”

Shifting a little, Sendak tried a: “well... when in the midst of battle, one rarely has the time to...”

“Ah-ah-ah, I answered your questions, didn’t I?”

Sighing under his breath, the older huffed and turned his head away whilst the wash cloth was re-soaked, wrung and gently applied to his still bruised chest. “Before the war... there were hover-pod races which I’d frequent for betting; however, my favourite activity was taking part in gladiator matches” he murmured, his breath hitching slightly when his more tender wounds were clearly of any residual blood that’d emerged after the removal of his bandages. 

“Gladiator as in death-matches, or…”

“Tch, by the Axis… What civilized creatures would find pleasure in the killing of others?” he grumped as though the answer were obvious. “No, these were games of strength, skill and strategy… I would take part far more so than I’d watch” he added, a true, genuine smile pricking his lips. “There is nothing sweeter than a well-earned victory against a worthy opponent… that is why I had thought, in my foolish youth, that the military would be a fine choice of life for me” he mused, his mirth dying. “Perhaps if my fellows and I had not been so hungry for battle, so sure of imminent success we would have treated the threat Allura presented in the ways we should” he lamented. “But she was Lady Honerva’s Goddaughter and the madness… we mistook it for grief, we did not _see_ ” he furthered until, with a breath, he stopped.

“I… am sorry, I…”

“You have nothing to apologise for” Shiro promised, his eyes locking out the alpha’s sincerely; “I only fought in a war for four years… I can’t imagine how…”

“Shiro?”

Blinking, the pair snapped their attention to a post-nap, plush-hippo clutching Keith, his ears flat and free hand rubbing his stomach whilst the other children crowded around him; “s’it nearly time for dinner? We’re hungry…”

“ _And_ we also found these” Matt huffed, his arms loaded with various articles of clothing whilst Hunk held up boots and Katie showed off gloves far too big for her small, clever fingers; “Mr Kagone’s stuff looked mostly too small _but_ Agent Travis left a crate full of things that should probably fit” he added with a shrug. “There’s also a bunch of boxes and cases we can’t into…”

“ _Guys_ …”

“What? We _couldn’t_ get into them” the femme grumped; “no snooping, no harm done, right?” she asked before, with a nudge to a thoroughly grinning Lance, she asked: “why would _The Iverson_ put a grey-goose in a bottle?” whilst the Altean proudly produced the glass vessel; “and why is there a heart tag on it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh... so... ill... 
> 
> Sorry for the delays...


	13. Rest...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: it's at the front... I think...
> 
> I just felt like some fluff, for a change!
> 
> Enjoy : )

Taking a sniff at the bottle, his brows rising, Sendak regarded Shiro (the younger man’s face darkened with embarrassment for a change; the Galra liked it better that way) before supping from the glass he’d been given: “hn, the warming sensation is pleasant… I prefer your food-stuffs to it, though” he admitted. 

“Agent Travis must have packed it because it was something Krolia preferred” the omega attempted to reason whilst he continued to bustle about the kitchen, his hands stirring wooden spoons through pots of delicious smelling liquids whilst, behind them, the children steadfastly set the table. “Don’t feel you have to drink it, okay? That man is the master of subtle, underhanded tactics so he may just want to give you a hang-over for when the General visits tomorrow…”

“Boo the _Iverson_!” Pidge called from where she was placing glasses next to the plates Keith had already deposited upon the table-cloth; “does he _have_ to come here? Haven’t we had enough of _them_ already?” 

Sighing, his eyes zeroing in on the young femme, Shiro breathed out a “Pidge, honey, can we at least try to be civil tomorrow, hmm?” whilst moving to strain the pasta; “Hunk? How is the salad coming along, sunshine?”

“It looks great!” Lance answered from where he was _helping_ , his small hands adding croutons upon the older boy’s instructions. “We gots nuts and cap-ers and everything in here!” he cheered happily whilst Matt placed the dressing bottle in the beta’s hand, an affection ruffle of both the smaller children’s hair leaving them giggling as he walked to the industrial sized, free-standing refrigerator.

“Hn, you have well organised troops here, Shiro” Sendak complimented as he watched on, his grin fond.

“They’re Earth’s finest” the omega agreed smoothly whilst his oldest charge carried a pitcher of lemonade to the ranch-styled table; “well... looks like we’re good to go so please, take a seat... I, err, think there’s been a special place set up for you” he chuckled with a wink.

Blinking his organic eye, the Galra noticed that Keith and Lance had positioned a paper (oh look, here it was again) card, strewn with glitter, paint and crayon, next to a plate a few times larger than the others; after a scan, his bionic implant read the word ‘ _Welcome Mr Sendak_ ’.

“I am greatly honoured” he breathed, his tone reverent as he took the seat and fell into the conversation filtering around the room as though he’d always been there.

After so many years of fighting, even this small time of peace was enough to soothe his battered soul and make him smile, truly, for the first time in decophoebes...

~*~*~*~

“Heh… they can be quite the handful, can’t they?”

Chuckling good naturedly, the Commander carefully lowered a lightly snoring Hunk into his bed before tucking him in as the oldest human had instructed him. To his right, said man was settling Keith and Lance into their bunk-beds whilst, in the adjacent room, his advanced hearing caught Matt gently murmuring something to Pidge before he started shuffling to his own chamber, a sleepy wave his parting gesture as he moved past the open doorway.

“Their energy levels need to be mapped by our scientists” the mauve male chuckled quietly whilst they quietly backed out of the room; “I would never have dreamed that such small creatures could be so active… they may just be the secret weapon we’ve been searching for” he offered with a grin.

“You should see what they’re like if they get their hands on sugary-treats” Shiro confided as they made their way to the landing leading the stairs; “I’m pretty sure Lance, Keith and Katie could power a pretty destructive cannon if they were hooked up to one” he mused brightly whilst gently closing the door too. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow _but_ , if you like, we can head back downstairs and finish off that bottle? I need to set up the couch again, anyway…”

“It is wrong for you to take the lesser bed” Sendak cut in, his head gesturing to the bedroom; “my injuries are mending at a satisfactory pace and…”

“Nope, _sorry_ , Earth hospitality rules state that the guest gets the bed, and that’s final… well, _unless_ you want to share?” the younger quipped playfully, the index finger of his flesh hand poking the Galra’s broad chest; “hmm, my measly bed probably wouldn’t support the two of us” he sighed sadly. “That drink, on the other hand, is perfect for splitting…”

“Tch… are you _certain_ it is Agent Travis and not _you_ who is looking to ply me with alcohol for nefarious reasons?” the taller rumbled, a hint of challenge filtering through the playfulness as his own clawed fingers gently captured the hand lingering so close to him. 

“ _Maybe_ ” the omega said, his grin sultry whilst he pulled away from the other’s touch; “why don’t you come downstairs with me and find out, hmm?”

~*~*~*~

The evening had been a thoroughly enjoyable one; they’d spoken of their childhoods, the pain of being orphaned, the fierce protectiveness they felt for their companions, the horrors of war and the joys of triumph.

He’d sampled a _wonderful_ confection called chocolate (which paired very nicely with the vodka), been introduced to human _soap-operas_ and laughed, whole-heartedly, in a care-free way that surprised and delighted him all at once.

Then, as the hours crept on, they slowly gravitated closer to each other upon the soft furnishings whilst a _movie_ played across the screen; by the time midnight had come and gone, his human host had snuggled up to him, his eyes heavy with sleep as he’d yawned, cutely, and settled down to rest.

Leaning back against the cushions of the large, love-worn sofa, his arm adjusting its grip on the sleeping man cradled against his chest, the sweet scent of his sacred gender lulling him into a daze, Sendak found himself staring at the muted television and genuinely enjoying himself until reality paid him a visit through his wandering thoughts.

Was it so wrong to want to have this time? To glimpse and partake in a life without war, with children laughing and people treating each with kindness? To enjoy the comfort of a companion?

Yes, it was wrong… it wasn’t right, wasn’t _fair_ that he should be here when Lord Zarkon, a man he respected like a father, was without his children and the other brave men and women of the Resistance were out there, in conflict, facing death…

“Hey… stop thinkin’ so loud…”

Blinking, the alpha looked down at the omega curled against him; “I…”

“ _You’re_ too tense” Shiro murmured, his head briefly lifting so that they could regard each other in the flashing lights of the flat screen across from them. “Just breathe, put your head back and let go… if only for a little while” he murmured before repositioning himself further up the other’s broad chest. “You can do nothing for anyone, not right now, not until we can get you airborne again” he reasoned softly; “I promise I’ll do everything I can to get you back to your friends, but what good will you be without rest, hmm?” he asked, their eyes locking. “Surely it’s better that you return to them with a clear head and strong body, right? That, and I’m sure that Iverson will have lots of things for you to take back with you… he’s Krolia’s number-one fan, after all” he furthered, a gentle chuckle coating his words.

“How can someone so beautiful also be so wise?” Sendak purred out, his body sinking further into the cushions. 

It was in that moment he knew, when this war finally ended, he’d be making his way back to Earth.

And he would dedicate every fiber of his being to ensure the conflict ended as soon as possible…


	14. Of Friends, favours and threats....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1... or the summary...

“Commander Sendak? S’good to see you up and about so quickly” the short, similarly one-eyed alpha grunted out whilst offering his hand in what Shiro had described as a welcoming gesture. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, General” he returned in kind as they walked into the ranch-house proper, their legs steering towards the den; “I believe it is you I have to thank for my unexpectedly warm welcome?”

“Ahh, that thanks belongs to Krolia and the technology she provided which ended the global resources crisis and, to that end, our third world-war” the African-American assured whilst moving to sit on the couch; Pidge (and the other children) was thankfully out of sight in one of the barns thanks to the adult omega’s quick thinking and new-toy bribery. “I apologise if this is a classified question you cannot answer, however, have you or any of those under your command had contact with her or the human-crew she took to space?”

Frowning softly, the taller male shook his head; “I’m sorry” he stated: “however, before landing here I had no idea who Krolia was or what she’d done to aid this world” he explained. “I am certain that Lord Zarkon would give her the highest praise, may have done so already, perhaps, if she intended to rendezvous with the main fleet” he added whilst long-clawed fingers scratched as his chin. 

“I see” Iverson sighed, his shoulders minutely slumping; “let’s choose to see this as a _’no news is good news’_ scenario” he stated decidedly before re-shifting his posture into something more regimented: “do you know why I’m here today?”

“I fear it’d be too optimistic to say that you’re here to fix my ship and wave me off” the mauve male replied with a quirked grin.

Offering his own cryptic smile, the seemingly older man chuckled. “My bosses are very interested in your ship and are quite desperate to get their greedy hands all over it” he admitted brazenly; “to be frank, it’s only on mine and Agent Travis’ authority that you’re free to roam about this ranch in the way that you are.”

“Of course” Sendak nodded; “in these times it is only sane to be wary, however, I cannot allow you to have my ship or any of its equipment” he furthered whilst inclining his head in the general direction of the crash-site. “Should any of your people attempt to access it then I’m afraid we’ll all be at a loss…”

“You’re talking about a self-destruct function, I take it?” Iverson cut in, his expression wry; “Krolia told us of such mechanisms to ensure that Galra and their technology couldn’t be taken by the Alteans in the event of a capture” the human acknowledged. “That is why I’m here” he continued; “think of me as a negotiator of sorts… not that you are in any way a prisoner, you understand, however, our initial review of your ship when you first landed has led our engineers to believe that you’ll be unable to fix it unaided” he said.

Grunting, his eye narrowing, the taller being felt his fur trying to puff out in indignation; “you’re brokering a trade?”

“Of sorts” the General nodded; “the peace we’re currently enjoying on this planet is a tenuous one and that could be easily be changed, and a more prosperous future for us all secured, if we had access to additional supplies of what I have listed here” he stated, his hands pulling a paper notepad from his upper-jacket pocket.

“If you can provide these things then we can get you airborne…”

~*~*~*~

Watching his children _play_ with devices that his Engineering Degree told him were theoretically impossible never failed to make him smile and worry in equal measure; he had to keep telling himself that this was okay, that it was _good_ his kids would be future-proofing the world.

In exchange, he would make sure that this burden that their young shoulders had to carry never felt like one by ensuring they had a childhood, a home and a set of memories they could look back on fondly when they were older.

Surely, someone owed them that much?

“ _So_ … word on the grape-vine is that your new _house-guest_ is a total beef-cake” Veronica McClain virtually purred as she moved to lean beside him within the _barn_ , her eyes mischievous as she regarded him over the steaming-hot coffee she was supping.

“Oh really?” he hummed, his own gaze watching Keith and Lance carefully lower the heavy machinery (he’d never get over the fact that both five year olds could easily lift his old pick-up truck between them) for Hunk, Pidge and Matt to descend upon with spanners, screw-drivers and the like. “I wouldn’t know, really… I mean, what even _is_ a beef-cake in this post-vegan world, hmm? Seriously V, your historical, pop-culture references are getting stale” he huffed, his smirk lazy whilst she snorted at him.

“Ha! A man who lives out in the middle of _nowhere_ is telling _me_ what’s current?” she chuckled before leaning in conspiratorially; “but seriously, help a sci-fi loving sister out here... he _is_ jacked, right? Celia escorted Agent Travis here and she got a peak at the photos you took...”

“Huh, you mean the classified photographs I took as part of my _job_ or the ones I sneaked for the private collection I keep, you know, of all the _hot_ alien alphas who drop into my back-yard?” the slightly older deadpanned whilst the beautiful Cuban squealed.

“I _knew_ it! You perv!” she giggled before, with a waggle of sculptured brows she leaned in closer-still; “if those private collection pics exist then I _want_ in, okay?”

Snorting and playfully pushing her away, the omega made his way to the work-bench his charges were buzzing around, his smile curving into something quite unfriendly when he eventually caught the notice of the two scientists that’d been sent to monitor their progress (and take away any _finished_ products).

They knew, very well, that hovering around the kids whilst they were _playing_ was something he wouldn’t tolerate.

Maybe he needed to break someone’s nose again to remind them further.

~*~*~*~

“You look… grumpy, well, _grumpier_ than usual, sir” Shiro greeted when Iverson joined them an hour or so into the _negotiations_ ; “I take it things aren’t going how you’d planned?”

Grumbling under his breath, his body slumping onto a hay-stack beside the Lieutenant, the General sighed. “Sanda is riding my ass hard on this one, Takashi” he admitted, his good eye glowering at the knotty floor-boards; “if things go south then she’s gonna throw our new _friend_ into cryo and take her chances on letting our tech-guys crack that ship open” he ground out, his tone peppered with distaste.

“I see” the younger nodded carefully, his own eyes narrowed; “Sendak didn’t respond too kindly to the news, did he?”

“Heh, would you?” the African-American chuckled mirthlessly. “I tried the nice way, I tried the hard way and then, well, the truth of the matter seemed like the only way forward” he explained, his shoulder bunching a little; “he’s a stubborn one _but_ I think he’ll come around” he furthered before inclining his head to the barn’s double-doored exit. “Agents Davis and McNamara are escorting him to his ship to run a few initial diagnostics right now” he continued, his face souring a touch when Pidge spotted him and proceeded to blow a loud raspberry in his direction; “tch, nice to see that Katie is maturing” he humphed.

“She’ll come around eventually” the omega offered, his tone sheepish; “one of the last memories she has of her parents is them walking off with you for their mission but, give her time, hell, maybe even _visit_ more often and you’ll win her over” he furthered whilst giving the other’s shoulder a nudge. “You’re her Godfather, after all…”

~*~*~*~

Waving their visitors off (after Lance hugged his _sister_ , Keith handed over a few signed paintings and Hunk ensured everyone had a cookie for the road), Shiro found his smile dimming as Sendak wordlessly turned and walked back to the ranch-house before the vehicles had so much as started on their journey.

“Dr Jennings said that she was _really_ impressed with the generator we’ve fixed” Matt suddenly piped up, his shorter form at the older omega’s elbow so that he could grin up at him; “so… does this mean we can have pizza for dinner?”

“Pizza?! Yay!” Lance, Pidge and Hunk chorused whilst sharing high-fives, their faces glowing with excitement whilst a more demur Keith added a “s’long as there’s no pineapple.”

“What?! How can you say that, mullet?!” the Altean yelped, his small form spinning to pin the fur-ruffed child with a glare; “Hawaiian styled pizza is the best there is!”

“I want ham!” Kate declared.

“Oh-oh! With sausage and mushrooms and… oh! _Four kinds of cheese!_ ” Hunk chirped excitedly as their little legs spinning, twirling and jetting them past the quiet Galran and towards the wash-house to clean up; rule number three cited that everyone must wash-up before eating, especially after play.

“Huh, well, looks like that’s been decided, doesn’t it?” their carer chuckled, a sweat drop descending from his temple; “why don’t you go and oversee them getting ready whilst I go raid the freezer, okay?”

Nodding, his smile all the brighter, Matt ambled after his younger friends whilst Shiro psyched himself up to deal with the clearly broody, _definitely_ displeased alpha who’d already entered the ranch-house, his feet kicking off the boots he’d worn to enter the home bare-footed (as was rule number five’s order).

This was going to be awkward as hell…

“You are aware of what your people wanted?” the mauve male grunted when he sat at the long table where they’d enjoyed their first meal together only a day ago.

Shrugging, his hands moving to the wash-basin (he had to follow the rules, too), Shiro tried to keep his tone light; “I don’t get the specifics” he answered: “however, knowing my superiors and my Government, Ii knew that they’d be asking for something in exchange for providing aid to you” he added.

“Hmm? You’re so certain that they wish to help me, are you?”

Momentarily stopping his hand washing, the omega looked over his shoulder at the alpha peering at him, his face neutral enough for such a passive-aggressive tone.

“Of course they do… you know what a huge debt we owe to Krolia” he assured, his head turning back; “but, as I’m sure you can appreciate, getting something for nothing is a charity that most people just can’t extend” he sighed. “Honestly? I don’t think that it’s right that any of us should be pressuring you into anything, let alone handing over technology or resources, however, we humans are scavengers by nature and our shared history of being greedy is something that most of us can’t shake” he said softly. “And, not to put myself on a pedestal here, if you _were_ able to supply us with anything that could help my kids or any number of the kids still struggling after the war then, well, I’d ask you for it…”

“ _Ask_?” Sendak huffed; “your Admiral threatens to imprison me…”

“And your people, at the stage of advancement we are currently in, would have simply let you roam, fixed your ship and allow you to fly-off with a packed-lunch, huh?” the human asked, his tone wry whilst he dried his hands and turned to appraise the alpha.

“That… I…”

“Uh-huh” Shiro cut in, his brows rising a touch; “look, it’s not my place politically or as someone who is trying to befriend you to say what you should or shouldn’t do” he admitted, his tone sincere. “All I can do is ask you want kind of toppings you want on your pizza, alright?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.… this is the last "filler/world-building episode" (well, for a while, anyway) as I have SUCH PLANS (angsty ones) for this little ficclet!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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